SACRAMENTO – Former employees of a Fresno County company allege that they were not properly paid for picking grapes and have filed a class-action suit.
Octaviano Juarez, Angel Mendez Mendez, Noe Moises Ramirez Salazar, Patricio Reyes Venegas, et al. filed a complaint on behalf of other current and former employees on May 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California against Rafael Villafan; Demi AG. Inc.; Rafael Villafan, doing business as Demi AG. Inc.; and Sangha Sundip Singh, citing violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that in September 2015 they worked for more than 40 hours per work week picking raisin trays but were not paid any overtime compensation. The plaintiffs hold the defendants responsible because the defendants also allegedly failed to provide an itemized wage statements to the plaintiffs, failed to provide equipment and tools and failed to provide a written notice of the terms and conditions of employment.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek all unpaid minimum wages, liquidated damages equal to the unpaid wages, statutory damages and actual damages, interest, all legal fees and any other relief as the court deems just.
They are represented by Estella M. Cisneros and Elizabeth A. Aakhus of California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. in Fresno and Blanca A. Bañuelos of California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. in Stockton.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California Case number 1:16-at-00359